Celebrating independence through play, friendship and Indonesian cultural traditions
What does Indonesia’s Independence Day look like through the eyes of a child growing up overseas?
Perhaps it is the thrill of jumping inside a sack, the challenge of grabbing a kerupuk without using their hands, or the laughter that comes from pulling a rope together with new friends. For Indonesian children growing up in Singapore, these seemingly simple games can become something more meaningful: a way to experience a piece of home.
This was the spirit behind Temu Main Yuk: 17-an HUT ke-81 RI, a community playdate held at Sekolah Indonesia Singapura to celebrate Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day.
Supported by KBRI Singapura, the event brought Indonesian families together for an afternoon of traditional games, laughter, food and community. Rather than learning about Indonesia solely through books or stories, the children experienced 17-an through play. The programme featured a variety of traditional Independence Day games, including balap karung (sack race), makan kerupuk (kerupuk-eating competition), tarik tambang (tug of war), spoon-and-marble relay races and pencil-in-a-bottle challenges. Each activity encouraged children to develop different skills from agility and balance to focus, teamwork and perseverance.
However, the organisers were clear that the day was never really about winning. As Dyana, one of the participating mothers, shared, the games gave children an opportunity to celebrate Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day while creating lasting memories.
“Even though we are far from our homeland, we can still feel and celebrate Independence Day.” She added that the games helped children build teamwork and develop skills in a fun environment. Most importantly, “there was no winning or losing, what mattered most was the festive spirit and the joyful kids.”
Creating Memories Far From Home
For parents, the event carried a deeper significance. Kei, a mother of two, praised the Temu Main Yuk team for the effort that went into organising the celebration.
“We could really feel the Indonesian spirit through all the games. My son had such a great time, and I’m so grateful he got to experience a piece of 17-an here in Singapore.”
For families living away from Indonesia, these experiences can provide something that is difficult to recreate in everyday life: a shared cultural memory that children can call their own.
For Ing, the connection with Temu Main Yuk goes back even further. This year marked her third year joining the community’s 17-an celebration.
She described the event as a “neatly-prepared, smoothly-ran and memorable celebration” organised by the core team of three mothers and their supporting crew. While the children enjoyed the games, parents also had an opportunity to spend time together and strengthen connections within the Indonesian diaspora.
More Than Games: Keeping Cultural Roots Alive
For Baidha, who volunteered at the event for the second time, Temu Main Yuk also offered a valuable perspective on Indonesian children growing up in Singapore.
“The majority of these kids grew up in Singapore and speak English most of the time.”
Her experience volunteering gave her an opportunity to understand more about how the children grow up between two cultural environments. It also encouraged her to engage with them in Bahasa Indonesia and create a space where they could feel comfortable using the language. Her hope extends beyond the event itself.
“I just wish that these kids can grow up being able to embrace both countries and cultures, while still keeping in touch with their Indonesian roots.”
That balance, embracing life in Singapore while maintaining a connection to Indonesia, is at the heart of what makes community initiatives like Temu Main Yuk meaningful.
The event also demonstrated how community support can bring the spirit of Indonesia to life abroad. Indonesian brands including Fore Coffee, Fangko House, Mightee Wears, Toko Indo and Irvins supported the celebration, while Singapore-based brands Hey! Chips, The Dinky Shop and HDI Singapore also contributed.
Food and refreshments from participating brands added another familiar touch of home, with Dyana noting that the F&B offerings helped make the celebration “feel even more like Indonesia.”
A Celebration to Remember
For the children, the afternoon may simply have been about running, playing, cheering and laughing. For their parents, it was a chance to watch their children experience traditions they themselves may have grown up with. And for the wider Indonesian community in Singapore, it was a reminder that distance does not have to mean losing touch with home.
Temu Main Yuk shows that cultural heritage can be passed down in many ways. Sometimes it happens through language. Sometimes through food. And sometimes, it happens through something as simple as a sack race or a game of tug of war.
As Indonesia celebrates its 81st year of independence, these small moments become part of a much bigger story: a new generation of Indonesian children learning that wherever they grow up, they can carry a little piece of Indonesia with them.
And judging from the children’s laughter and the parents already looking forward to the next gathering, the spirit of 17-an is very much alive in Singapore.
Written by Arvelia Yardhika Ong
